Electrohydraulic fragmentation technology for dismantling reinforced concrete structures in cramped conditions and eliminating the consequences of emergency situations

An environmentally friendly method of destruction of reinforced concrete structures by low-energy pulsed high-voltage electrohydraulic discharge has been developed. The destruction of the concrete is carried out by a shock wave created by a discharge in the borehole of the concrete with water or by immersing the object completely or partially in water. The pressure at the front of the shock wave is ~100 MPa, 2 times higher than the strength of concrete structures. A low-power discharge does not cause vibrations of the entire structure, does not form dust and fragments, and has a low noise level. Energy consumption is no more than 1–3 kWh per cubic meter of concrete destruction. A mobile installation based on the Gazelle car has been created. The distance from the car to the destruction site is up to 2 km. The developed method makes it possible to destroy concrete blocks in hard-to-reach places, in mountainous areas, indoors, and in urban environments, and to apply the technology during rescue operations.